$2M State Grant Will Go Toward Redevelopment Of Newington Property

The former National Welding site in Newington where Gov. Malloy announced… (PATRICK RAYCRAFT | praycraft@courant.com…)

May 13, 2013|By CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN, Special to The Courant, The Hartford Courant

NEWINGTON – — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy came to town Monday to announce a $2 million state grant for demolition and clean up of the long-derelict National Welding factory, clearing the way for the property's eventual redevelopment.

"With a CTfastrak stop right here, this space has tremendous potential," said Malloy of the property adjacent to the busway's planned Cedar Street stop. "This is a great opportunity for the town of Newington and the state of Connecticut."

Mayor Stephen Woods called the grant "monumental." Monday's announcement is the culmination of a two-year effort to win state funding to raze and clean up the former metal fabricating plant, he said.

Woods thanked Malloy and the town's legislative delegation for providing the funding.

"This is just a wonderful day," Woods said. "We're very, very happy to secure this money."

With the building down and the site cleaned up, the town can seek a developer to repurpose the 3.9-acre property, returning it to the tax rolls and creating jobs, Woods said. He said he hoped to see the demolition and cleanup finished by late this year or early next year.

Newington's grant was the largest of $6.5 million in Department of Economic and Community Development moneys announced Monday to cleanse old industrial sites. Other towns receiving funds were Bridgeport, Naugatuck, North Haven, Plainville and Trumbull.

Malloy called the grants an important part of his administration's economic development strategy.

"There are hundreds of properties across the state – abandoned factories, warehouses, rail yards and mills – that were once the center of economic activity, but now just contribute to urban decay," he said. "With the right investment, these properties can bolster our economy and add to our quality of life."

The town hopes that CTfastrak will help attract a developer to the National Welding site. The $567 million dedicated busway from New Britain to Hartford is expected to begin service in early 2015.

"This (redevelopment of National Welding) is exactly what we envisioned when we moved forward with CTfastrak," Malloy said.

Malloy left open the possibility of additional state funding once a developer is chosen for the project.

"With the right things, our participation need not be over," he said.

A couple of developers have expressed an interest in the property, but it's too early for them to submit proposals, Woods said. Once the building is torn down, the town will begin seeking a developer, he said.

Town Manager John Salomone said that National Welding was one of the first things he saw when he came to town, and he immediately wanted to do something about it.

"It's been labor of love and to see it happening is exciting," he said.

State Rep. Sandy Nafis, D-Newington, who also attended Monday's announcement, said the work would give that part of town "a facelift" and help spur job growth.

National Welding closed in 1994 and was seized by the town in 2008 for back taxes. At one time, the factory employed about 400 people and was one of the town's top 10 taxpayers, Woods said.